NUTMEGS AND MACE 141 



The total production of nutmegs in the West Indies is so 

 small that it is not taken into consideration in the preparation 

 of statistics here or abroad. Not until the quality of British 

 West Indian nutmegs is improved by cultivation can they be 

 sold under their real names. 



The cultivation in Grenada, however, cannot at all 

 be considered as a failure. In the Kew Bulletin, 1891, 

 we find that " about 10 acres of nutmegs at an altitude 

 of 1100 ft. gave annual crops of nutmegs and mace 

 valued at 1000 sterling. This, however, is very 

 exceptional." 



Mr. G-urney, in charge of Colonel Duncan's estate, 

 says the cultivation is a great help to the island. Most 

 people have a few trees and most estates have some 

 areas of more or less established trees. The small- 

 holders find it a source of weekly income, as he sells his 

 crops to local dealers. An acre of trees at twenty -five 

 years of age gave 25 profit and more. It takes, 

 however, twelve years before the trees pay, and there is 

 not much in the business under fourteen. 



In India the cultivation has never been of much 

 success. In Calcutta the climate was found too cold for 

 it in the cold season. Better results were obtained in 

 the neighbourhood of the Nilgherries, especially in 

 Courtallum. On the damper side of the ghats, Goa, 

 Canara, and Malabar, it was cultivated, on the northern 

 dryer side it suffered from want of the sea-air. It gave 

 good fruit farther south in Tinnevelly. However, the 

 cultivation was neglected or abandoned, and no nut- 

 megs are produced in India now. In 1870-1871, 355 

 kilograms, valued at 575 rupees, were exported from 

 Bombay, and 2431 kilograms from Madras, valued at 

 3012 rupees. 



In Ceylon, very little has been done in cultivating 

 nutmegs. About 1853, according to Ferguson (All 

 about Spices), a Mr. Anstruther, then Colonial Secretary, 

 made long-continued and extensive efforts to make the 

 cultivation of nutmegs successful, and about 25 acres 

 were also planted on Sir John Wilson's estate in Nilambe, 



